I volunteer once a week, and it's the most courageous thing I do with my time
Plus how to find volunteer work you actually care about
Did you know April 17th was International Bat Appreciation Day?
I didn’t, either.
I live in the bat capital of the world, Austin, TX, and the first time I heard about it was at the Twin Oaks Library, where I volunteer Thursdays after work.
The rest of the city seemed to forget, but Jessica, the head librarian, went all out this year with arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, and bat-themed book displays. They even invited a chiropterologist (a dude who studies bats) to come and speak about the wonders of our planet’s nocturnal flyboys.
What was my role in all of this?
I spent a few hours cutting out construction paper bats to decorate the library.
My friends probably think it’s silly. I even find it silly sometimes. Work yourself to the bone just to spend precious free time cleaning up glitter after tween book club or decorating a hallway with paper bats.
Not to mention, I moved to Austin to meet new people and do exciting things. Now I’m spending more time in a library. I could’ve done that back in Ohio.
I learned that excitement and productivity are not the point of volunteering, and that’s what I’m trying to say with this article.
Just because you can do anything doesn’t mean you should
I’m a busy guy because of my day job.
I’m not saying that to brag. I’m saying that hoping you will relate.
Our jobs are not meaningless. We do it to provide for ourselves and our loved ones. We work for more freedom so we can buy the things we want, travel the world, and pursue our interests. Hell, I sat for 6 hours at a Medicare conference last week. I didn’t do it because the topic lights me on fire.
Here’s the thing. Just because we have the freedom to do whatever we want, does that mean we always should?
Does success mean we can afford to be indifferent and not help our communities?
It took me a long time to realize this, but I don’t think so.
It's the only thing I do all week that isn't all about me
Most things I do feed the self-improvement machine.
I read so I can get smarter.
I write so I can show the world my opinions.
I run marathons to prove I'm better than other people.
There's courage in these things. They're all healthy and lead to success, but sometimes they feel hollow.
The time I spend volunteering each week is the only thing I do that isn't about me. It doesn't make any money, help me look cooler, or run faster. I'm not sure it does anything for my career, either.
But that's the point of volunteer work. It's a rare activity in that it's entirely selfless.
That’s courage that doesn’t feel hollow.
I cut out construction paper bats for two hours last week. That's all I did. You could call it a waste of time. That's fine. But I like to imagine the excitement of a bunch of kids exploring a library decked out in bat swag.
Maybe it's enough to spark inspiration.
Or maybe it's a much-needed distraction from a tumultuous home life.
Who knows, but it makes the time worth it.
How to find volunteer work that you actually care about
If you’re curious about volunteering but don’t know what to do, here’s what I suggest.
Think of something from your childhood that shaped who you are today. My mom signed me up for book clubs at the library when I was a kid (book clubs mostly organized by volunteers). I often went kicking and screaming, but in one way or another, they helped cultivate a love of books and learning… and eventually writing.
That’s why I volunteer at the library. I owe them.
Fun fact Cal my wife hates bats. Rats with wings she calls them. I love watching Youtube videos of them eating bananas and stuff. I think they're cute as hell.